It is a time of change in America. The world is watching…and lately it has not been all that pretty of a sight.

But, beneath that change and disruption is something much, much greater than all of the noise. There are the timeless values of America including freedom, unity and bravery. In these times of change, each American, regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity or geography, must pause and make sure that they are upholding those principles and striving to work together.

As you can see from the quotes below, there are many diverse American leaders listed below. From the old days to the current days, from different political parties and different races, there is one common theme that holds true…that unity and support of each other makes us a great nation.

During times of change, Americans young and old, including you, need to remember these principals and stand up for them.

As John Dickinson said in 1768, in the Liberty Song: “Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.”

Now enjoy these great quotes and reflect on what you, your family, your classmates and your community are doing to uphold these values. And if what you see around doesn’t agree with these quotes, don’t sit by and watch. If you don’t like what you see around you, take your direction from these great men and women below and do what you can do to help your fellow citizens continue to make America a great nation.

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” – Harry S. Truman

“Pit race against race, religion against religion, prejudice against prejudice. Divide and conquer! We must not let that happen here.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.”
– Abraham Lincoln

“The essence of America — that which really unites us — is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion — it is an idea — and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things.” — Condoleezza Rice

“Let me speak plainly: The United States of America is and must remain a nation of openness to people of all beliefs. Our very unity has been strengthened by this pluralism. That’s how we began; this is how we must always be. The ideals of our country leave no room whatsoever for intolerance, anti-Semitism, or bigotry of any kind — none.” – Ronald Reagan

“The fact is, with every friendship you make, and every bond of trust you establish, you are shaping the image of America projected to the rest of the world.” —Michelle Obama

“There are seasons in every country when noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamors of interested and factious men are often mistaken for patriotism.” – Alexander Hamilton

“This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“When I am president, I will work to ensure that all of our kids are treated equally and protected equally. Every action I take, I will ask myself, ‘Does this make life better for young Americans in Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Ferguson, who have as much of a right to live out their dreams as any other child America?'” – Donald Trump

“The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.” – Alexis de Tocqueville

“We, the People, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks what’s in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.” – Barack Obama

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. “- John F. Kennedy

“Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples – while judging ourselves by our best intentions. And this has strained our bonds of understanding and common purpose. But Americans, I think, have a great advantage. To renew our unity, we only need to remember our values. We have never been held together by blood or background. We are bound by things of the spirit – by shared commitments to common ideals.” — George W. Bush

“If we are to put an end to division, people from all political persuasions will have to stop fighting one another and seek true unity, not just a consensus that benefits one party.” – Ben Carson

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal’.” – Martin Luther King Jr

“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” – Abraham Lincoln

“True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.” – Clarence Darrow

“I count my blessings every single day that I am an American, and I still believe as deeply as I ever have that if we stand together and work together with respect for our differences, strength in our convictions and love for this nation, our best days are still ahead of us. Because, you know, I believe we are stronger together, and we will go forward together. And you should never, ever regret fighting for that.” – Hillary Clinton

“There is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America … there’s the United States of America.” – Barack Obama